Birmingham International Recorder and Early Music Festival

We are delighted to present the second Birmingham International Recorder and Early Music Festival. This unique event combines fantastic professional concerts, demonstrations and participatory events, with a newly enlarged  early music market

Highlights include:

• Birmingham Young Recorder Soloists Competition

• Professional and student concerts including Dan Laurin, The Gonzaga Band, London Handel Players, Musical and Amicable Society, Art of Moog, Bonfire Radicals

• Thirtieth Anniversary Celebration concert for Walter Bergmann

• Early music taster workshops

• Demonstration events

• Recorder Masterclasses

• Early Music Market. Download a list of Early Music Exhibitors

Admission to Masterclasses and Workshops is free. Concert tickets are individually priced. Day Passes are available here. Please note that  in the case of over-subscription, Day Pass holders will get priority seating for the masterclasses and competition.

Download the  Early Music At A Glance   timetable

Download the full list of Early Music Exhibitors .

Concerts

Thu 15 Feb

The Gonzaga Band: Venice 1629
Bonfire Radicals

Fri 16 Feb 

Dan Laurin and Anna Paradiso
London Handel Players: Baroque Dance programme with Mary Collins and Steven Player
The Art of Moog

Day passes available here

Sat 17 Feb

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Recorder Department Concert: Twentieth Century Originals
Musical and Amicable Society: Bach Harpsichord Concertos
Jamie Savan: Late Night Loops

Day passes available here

Sun 18 Feb

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Early Music Department Concert
Walter Bergmann Thirtieth Anniversary Celebration Concert

Day passes are available here

Other Events

16 - 18 Feb
Early Music Market

A variety of instrument makers, shops and organisations will be situated in the main foyer areas throughout the festival.

Thu 15 Feb

Public Research Seminar: Elizabeth Kenny - Extending the repertoire for Extended Necks

Dan Laurin Masterclass

Fri 16 & Sat 16 Feb

Tim Cranmore Makes a Recorder from a Carrot

Sat 17 Feb

Foyer performance: Warwickshire Youth Waits
Illustrated Talk: The Bate Collection of Musical Instruments

Sun 18 Feb

Francesca Clements - Recorder Teaching with Electronics

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire alumni and graduate from the Conservatory of Amsterdam Francesca Clements, gives an introductory workshop for teachers and performers to demonstrating how teachers can include live electronics within their music lessons.

Trinity College London Teacher’s Session

For further information, email annabel.knight@bcu.ac.uk or martin.perkins@bcu.ac.uk

Birmingham Young Recorder Soloists' Competition

An international competition for solo recitalists aged 18 and under, with valuable prizes given by Tim Cranmore recorders, The Early Music Shop and Recorder Music Mail.

Entrants need to apply by Fri 22 Dec 2017. Preliminary rounds will be held on Fri 16 Feb and Finals on Sat 17 Feb 2018. Judges Dan Laurin, Annabel Knight and Francesca Clements. 

To apply: Entrants must read the Competition Guidelines download, fill in and send theCompetition Entry Form  and make an entry through Eventbrite. 

Open Masterclasses

With Michelle Holloway and Chris Orton

We are delighted to present a series of Recorder Masterclasses, open to all levels and ages, with our fantastic recorder experts, Chris Orton (tutor at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire) and Michelle Holloway (tutor at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Junior Department). To register to play in a class, please follow the links below.

Fri 16 Feb 2018

10am-12pm: Grades 1-5 Open Masterclass with Chris Orton

4.45pm - 6.15pm: Grades 6-8+ (including Diplomas) Open Masterclass with Michelle Holloway

Sat 17 Feb 2018

9am -12pm: Grades 1-5 Open Masterclass with Michelle Holloway

9am - 12pm: Grades 6-8+ (including Diplomas) Open Masterclass with Chris Orton

Taster Workshops

Taster workshops for baroque instruments including harpsichord, flute, violin and oboe. No registration required.

Sat 17 Feb

9.30am - 10.30am Baroque Flute Taster with Annabel Knight

11am -12pm Baroque Violin Taster with Miki Takahashi

Sun 18 Feb

9.30am - 10.30am Harpsichord Taster with Robin Bigwood

11am - 12pm Baroque Oboe Taster with Gail Hennessy

You can also check out the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Recorder and Early Music Departments on Facebook, to get up to date news on all the events happening across the year!